Erect spreading shrub 1–3 m high, often with woody trunk to 10 cm diam. Stems elongate-cylindric, 6–70 cm long, 1.5–5 cm diam., arising laterally from previous segments, not fragile, glabrous, greyish green to darkish green; tubercles slightly raised, rounded, rhomboidal to hexagonal. Leaves green, caducous, linear-terete to ovoid, mucronate, on mature stem-segments 3–5 mm long (to 10 mm long on new shoots arising from rooted stem segments), 1.5–1.8 mm diam. Areoles somewhat depressed, 10–23 mm apart, filled with white wool. Spines 1–6 per areole, spreading to deflexed, 10–20 mm long, 0.6–0.8 mm wide near base, straight, pale yellow, ageing brown or grey, larger spines slightly flattened near base, not twisted. Glochids few, very small and inconspicuous, white to light yellow. Flowers subterminal, 20–35 mm diam. Perianth lobes firm, erect; outer tepals red, succulent, oblong, forming a firm cap in bud stage, 6–12 mm long, 2–5 mm wide; inner tepals dull red, oblong to oblanceolate, 10–15 mm long, 4–7 mm wide. Filament reddish above, white below, anthers pale yellow. Style white to pale pink-purple, stigma green. Fruit ellipsoid to oblong-urceolate, 3–7 cm long, 2–4 cm diam., with deep apical depression when young, tuberculate, yellowish green to orange when ripe, often persisting, sometimes proliferating; areoles on pericarpel often with a few weak deciduous spines. Seeds 4–6 mm diam.
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Shrub or small tree, up to ± 2 m high; trunk woody; branch segments distinctly rhomboid-tuberculate, arising laterally from previous segments, not fragile, dark or bluish green. Spines 2-5(-8), 10(-30) mm long, sometimes with later accruals on older growth, porrect, straight, terete or slightly flattened, yellowish; a few long hairs sometimes present. Leaves up to 15 mm long, rather persistent, finally deciduous. Flowers: floral tube elongate-urceolate; areoles many, glochidiate; spines occasional, bristly; perianth segments up to 17 mm long, scarlet. Fruit ellipsoid to oblong-urceolate, up to 90 mm long. Not a declared weed in South Africa.
Shrub or small tree, up to ± 2 m high; branch segments distinctly rhomboid-tuberculate, dark or bluish green. Leaves rather persistent, finally deciduous. Spines 2-5(-8), 10(-30) mm long, sometimes with later accruals on older growth. Flowers up to 70 mm long; pericarpel elongate-urceolate; areoles many, glochidiate; spines occasional, bristly. Tepals hardly spreading, ± 1/4 of flower length, scarlet. Fruit ellipsoid to oblong-urceolate, up to 90 mm long. Seed subglobose, 4-6(-10) mm in diam., girdle narrow, not prominent.
A weed of roadsides and tracks, abandoned homesteads, and margins of natural vegetation (e.g. mallee, dry open Eucalyptus forest), usually in drier regions. A common weed in South Australia, occasional in Victoria, but rare in Western Australia and New South Wales.
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